*** All JAR Articles ***

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on February 18, 2014August 28, 2016

Race to the Dan:
“Pushed with Great Expedition”

It had been a tense three weeks in the Carolinas for General Nathanael Greene, the commander of the American southern army. In the wake of General Daniel Morgan’s decisive victory at Cowpens on January 17th, 1781, General Greene moved to reunite his divided army. While Morgan’s 550 man light corps slowly withdrew northeastward into North […]

by Michael Cecere

People Posted on February 17, 2014August 28, 2016

The Experience of New London Tories
and Quakers

On December 8, 1776, British soldiers, supported by a large fleet, easily invaded and occupied Newport, Rhode Island, and the rest of Aquidneck Island. The first commander of the British garrison, Lieutenant General Earl Hugh Percy, immediately turned his attention to British sympathizers, known as Loyalists or Tories, in southeastern New England. Nestled in Earl […]

by Christian McBurney

Critical Thinking Posted on February 14, 2014June 28, 2014

Take Notice: The Not-so-1776
Recruiting Poster

This article was originally published in Journal of the American Revolution, Vol. 1 (Ertel Publishing, 2013). By Ray Raphael and Benjamin H. Irvin If you have ever studied the American Revolution, chances are you’ve seen the ubiquitous “Take Notice” recruiting poster, beckoning “all brave, healthy, able bodied, and well disposed young men” to “join the […]

by Ray Raphael

Interviews Posted on February 13, 2014October 10, 2014

10 Questions with Hal Stalmaster
(Johnny Tremain)

Hal Stalmaster is a natural actor, and Walt Disney knew it. In 1956, when Hal was 16 years old, he auditioned for the film “Johnny Tremain.” Adapted for the screen by Walt Disney Productions from the 1943 young adult novel by Esther Forbes, “Johnny Tremain” tells the story of how a teenaged apprentice in Boston […]

by Michael Schellhammer

People Posted on February 12, 2014August 28, 2016

The Hated Benjamin Franklin

The front page of April 18, 1765, Pennsylvania Gazette featured one of the earliest American printings of the Stamp Act. “Printed by B. Franklin, Post-Master, and “D. Hall,” the newspaper offered no critical comment on the new law as threatening people’s liberties. Benjamin Franklin became publisher of the Gazette in 1729. He took on Scottish […]

by Todd Andrlik

Techniques & Tech Posted on February 11, 2014August 28, 2016

Cavalry: Swords before Pistols

“…the sword is the most destructive and almost only necessary weapon a dragoon carries.”[1] So wrote Major Richard Call of the 3d Light Dragoons to Governor Thomas Jefferson in March of 1781. At first glance it may seem odd that a light horseman would make such a statement given the wide use of firearms on […]

by Daniel Murphy

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on February 10, 2014August 28, 2016

The Battle of St. Louis

While the War of American Independence was won on the Eastern seaboard by American and French battling the British, the future of the United States was determined in small, seemingly inconsequential battles in the western theatre. The battles west of the Appalachian Mountains would shape the destiny of the American nation by determining what land would become the United […]

by Jimmy Dick

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on February 7, 2014August 28, 2016

Ambushed! Victim’s Bones at Fort Laurens

For a few terrifying minutes the air was filled with the sound of gunshots, war-whoops and the screams of the dying. It was over quickly. Within plain sight of Fort Laurens, but beyond musket range, 19 members of a work party were ambushed and overwhelmed by Indians and British. Seventeen were killed outright, their scalped […]

by Hugh T. Harrington

Reviews Posted on February 6, 2014January 2, 2015

The American Revolution through British Eyes: A Documentary Collection

Book Review: The American Revolution through British Eyes: A Documentary Collection Edited by James J. Barnes and Patience P. Barnes. Kent State University Press, 2013. Two volume set, Cloth $250.00; ISBN 978-1-60635-111-6; total of 1304 pp., 6-1/8 x 9-1/8. Use primary sources, they say, If you want to cut through the biases of other historians […]

by Don N. Hagist

Prewar Politics (<1775) Posted on February 5, 2014August 28, 2016

You Won’t Believe How Samuel Adams Recruited Sons of Liberty

In his 1936 biography Sam Adams: Pioneer in Propaganda, John C. Miller wrote this about the leader of Boston’s Whig activists: Sam Adams discovered these taverns with their “tippling, nasty, vicious crew” excellent recruiting grounds for the mobs he later raised against the Tories and Crown officers. Adams himself was a familiar figure in Boston […]

by J. L. Bell

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on February 4, 2014August 28, 2016

Bushnell’s Mine Nearly Sinks a Ship

When the Royal Navy fleet of warships and transports, carrying a British army of more than 7,000 soldiers, passed New London, Connecticut, on December 6, 1776, the British were just a few days from easily capturing Newport, Rhode Island and bottling up the privateers and commercial vessels from Providence, Bristol, Warren, Swansea and other ports […]

by Christian McBurney

Arts & Literature Posted on February 3, 2014September 17, 2014

London Gazette: The Crown’s Official Mouthpiece

Before, during and after the American Revolution, newspapers from Great Britain were widely consumed on American soil as part of the regular packet ship deliveries of mail and papers. Arguably the most important source of news to the elite readers on both sides of the Atlantic was the London Gazette as it was the official […]

by Todd Andrlik

News Posted on January 31, 2014August 28, 2016

Death of a Patriot at King’s Mountain

Rebuffed in his attempt to command the South Carolina militia, newly commissioned General James Williams returned to North Carolina with his small Regiment. While there, he requested permission to recruit men for his regiment and a return to the south. On September 8, Governor Nash of North Carolina provided him with written orders to recruit […]

by Wayne Lynch

Places Posted on January 29, 2014August 28, 2016

Overlooked Wilmington

The city you probably never thought about for its role in the Revolution had a tremendously important role in the conflict. Boston, Philadelphia, Newport, and New York are well known for their Revolutionary War history. The smaller southern towns of Williamsburg, Charleston, and Savannah are also recognized for their Revolutionary significance. Yet one city stands […]

by Robert M. Dunkerly

Postwar Politics (>1783) Posted on January 28, 2014August 28, 2016

The Memory of Revolution and the War of 1812

On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. American political and military leaders planned to attack the British provinces of Upper and Lower Canada in order to force Britain to redress grievances concerning free trade and maritime rights. Thirty-seven years earlier, in September 1775, the Continental Congress had authorized General Richard […]

by Matt Barrett

Reviews Posted on January 27, 2014August 28, 2016

Sleepy Hollow: Some Historical Perspective

Millions of people have become entranced by the new FOX show, Sleepy Hollow. It has mystery, intrigue, and, above all else, a loveable cast of characters. Turning Washington Irving’s tale of Ichabod Crane into a woven narrative of apocalypticism and American History is downright brilliant (don’t think we missed the little jab at this with […]

by Thomas Verenna

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on January 24, 2014August 28, 2016

Saving South Carolina at Musgrove’s Mill

An ardent Patriot from the early days of the American Revolution, Colonel James Williams commanded the Little River Regiment of the South Carolina militia. His letters home indicate a man not only zealous for the cause but also attentive to his business and his religion. After all, “to fear God is the first and great […]

by Wayne Lynch

Critical Thinking Posted on January 23, 2014February 9, 2014

The Signal of Sam Adams

Myth: Toward evening on December 16, 1773, Francis Rotch, beleaguered owner of one of the tea-laden ships in the Boston Harbor, announced to thousands of people assembled at Old South Meeting House that Governor Hutchinson remained firm and would not allow his vessel to return to Britain with its cargo still on board. At that […]

by Ray Raphael

Prewar Politics (<1775) Posted on January 22, 2014August 28, 2016

The Importance of Observation and Inspection

In popular media, the soldiers of the Revolution and the members of the Continental Congress generally take center stage. It’s actually not fair; John Adams gets a full length series on HBO and yet the workings of local government during the most trying time in our history barely make a footnote. In point of fact, […]

by Thomas Verenna

Arts & Literature Posted on January 21, 2014August 28, 2016

A Dragoon a-Wooing

Even as late as the spring of 1783, there was still a war on. A substantial number of British troops were in New York City and the surrounding area, and Continental troops continued to hem them in. But peace and disarmament were near at hand. Among the soldiers with peace on his mind was a […]

by Don N. Hagist

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on January 20, 2014August 28, 2016

The Siege that Saved Quebec

The failure of the rebellious colonists to capture the fortress of Quebec during their invasion of Canada in 1775 had many causes; ironically, a major cause was the colonial force’s victory at St. John’s (the original French, and present, name is Fort Saint Jean). Guy Carleton, the British governor of Canada, had been watching the […]

by Jeff Dacus

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on January 16, 2014August 28, 2016

The Plot to Kidnap Schuyler

In 1781, British forces operating in Canada set their eyes on kidnapping prominent Americans in Vermont and upstate New York. These patriot leaders had stirred up opposition to efforts to draw Vermont into British Canada. At the time, General Frederick Haldimand, the Governor of the Province of Quebec (which at that time included what is […]

by Christian McBurney

People Posted on January 15, 2014August 28, 2016

Franklin’s Top 15 Items to Take on a Cruise

Between his voyages to England and France, Benjamin Franklin logged more transatlantic cruises than any other founder. In fact, in his lifetime, he took a total of eight cruises[i]. On his final 1785 cruise sailing from France to Philadelphia, Ben continued a letter he had started in 1784 in Paris to his friend Julien-David LeRoy. […]

by John L. Smith, Jr.

Critical Thinking Posted on January 14, 2014August 28, 2016

Mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line

Dear Mr. History: What happened with the famous mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line that occurred January, 1781? Did the soldiers have legitimate grievances? What does such a mutiny say about the professionalism of the Continental Army? Sincerely, Miffed About Mutinies Dear Miffed: When the soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line mutinied most of them had not […]

by Michael Schellhammer

Critical Thinking Posted on January 13, 2014September 10, 2014

Paul Revere’s Other Riders

Myth: “Alerted by signal lanterns, express riders Paul Revere and William Dawes eluded British patrols and spurred their horses toward Lexington along separate routes to warn Hancock and Adams.” – Created Equal: A History of the United States, a 2009 college textbook[1] “When Revere and fellow patriot William Dawes saw two lights shine, they set […]

by Ray Raphael

Places Posted on January 9, 2014January 9, 2014

A Very Special Boston Tea Party Reenactment

Have you ever tried to imagine what it would have been like to witness an important historical event? If so, the Boston Tea Party Annual Reenactment is a must-attend event. On Monday December 16, 2013, I attended the 240th Anniversary Boston Tea Party Annual Reenactment presented by the Old South Meeting House and the Boston […]

by Elizabeth M. Covart

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on January 8, 2014August 28, 2016

Washington Authorizes Plan to Kidnap Future King

In my recent book, Kidnapping the Enemy: The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee and Richard Prescott (Westholme Publishing, 2013), I focus on two of the outstanding kidnappings of the Revolutionary War. The first was the stunning capture of Major General Charles Lee, second-in-command of the Continental army, by Lieutenant Colonel William Harcourt and […]

by Christian McBurney

People Posted on January 7, 2014August 28, 2016

Top 10 Women Writers

Although half the population was female, writings by women make up only a small portion of the available literature on the American Revolution. There are, nonetheless, quite a number of published tracts to inform and entertain the researcher seeking a woman’s perspective on the events of the era. This list presents only a few, in […]

by Don N. Hagist

Places Posted on January 6, 2014January 6, 2014

The Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge

It was January 1776. In a bold plan hatched in London to end this rebellion, General Sir Henry Clinton was to sail from New York with 2,000 British regulars to the Cape Fear coastline of North Carolina. Meeting him in Brunswick, North Carolina with more troops would be naval commander Commodore Sir Peter Parker and […]

by John L. Smith, Jr.

Arts & Literature Posted on January 3, 2014January 3, 2014

Lost and Found

You may think that newspapers are only good for news, but advertising is a critical part of their content. Not only does advertising bring in substantial revenue for the publisher, it’s the reason why many people purchase the paper – think about those coupons, classifieds and supplements. For historians, advertising is also an essential part […]

by Todd Andrlik

The War Years (1775-1783) Posted on January 2, 2014August 28, 2016

The Battle of Valcour Island

Until the early decades of the 20th century saw wide-spread construction of roads in North America, water provided ready-made highways. Lake Champlain formed 125 miles of one such 350-mile-long artery through the wilderness that lay between the Atlantic Ocean at New York City and the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. In the spring of 1776, […]

by Michael Barbieri

People Posted on January 1, 2014August 28, 2016

The Making of a Loyalist

By 1773, Creek Indians in Georgia had run up debts with traders far larger than any amount they could pay. The colony pressed the issue on behalf of its traders and worked out a land deal whereby the Creeks made a large tract of land west of Augusta available for settlement. In return, the colony […]

by Wayne Lynch

News Posted on December 31, 2013August 28, 2016

Year in Review: Top 30 Articles of 2013

History is best served through teamwork and collaboration, so thanks to the team of 48 writers who all made Journal of the American Revolution‘s first year a huge success. Special thanks to Hugh Harrington, Don Hagist and J. L. Bell for their extraordinary editing and writing contributions. And as a thank you to our loyal […]

by Todd Andrlik

Techniques & Tech Posted on December 30, 2013August 28, 2016

Militia and Continentals

For contemporary Americans the difference between militia and regular, or “Continental,” soldiers is hard to grasp. Both fought in the war. Both suffered casualties. Both have supporters who claim they won the war. For decades after the Revolution, politicians spouted clouds of hot air on the subject, mostly aimed at denigrating the regular army in […]

by Thomas Fleming

Interviews Posted on December 24, 2013February 26, 2014

Strategy to Pre-war Violence?

Do you think there was a greater strategy behind most of the pre-war violence, or was it primarily raw emotion and vengeance? There was a greater strategy but, unfortunately, that strategy routinely used raw emotion and vengeance against its opponents. As early as the Stamp Act Crisis, the Sons of Liberty learned to target […]

by Editors